Chapter 521: Mature and Steady Diego? (Daily Transition)

The Korean national team has participated in nine World Cup finals throughout history, and since the 1986 World Cup, they have never missed a single edition!

They have always emphasized spirit, fighting, and willpower!

However, according to OPTA data, the Korean team under coach Shin Tae-yong has committed an exaggerated number of fouls in qualifiers and friendlies.

The referee team led both teams' players out of the tunnel.

The Shengbidebao Stadium instantly erupted.

Reporters and media quickly turned their cameras toward Li Kang, and the on-site tourists excitedly shouted his name.

It felt as if they had come especially to watch one person's performance.

Diego Costa wanted to pinch the mascot Zabivaka's butt, but Iniesta timely stopped him.

This is the World Cup, after all—if the mascot performer is a child.

Zabivaka's prototype is the Siberian wolf.

In Russian folk tales, the wolf is not the wolf grandmother but the embodiment of loyalty and bravery, so it defeated a series of competitors in the vote and ultimately became the mascot of the 2018 Russia World Cup.

Which World Cup mascot in history has been the hottest?

1998 France World Cup: Footix.

Simple red-and-blue coloring, simple image, and with the best-selling FIFA 98 game that year, it deepened the world's impression of it once again.

With the expanded tournament scope, is there any mascot hotter than it?

Yes.

The mascot of the 1990 Beijing Asian Games—giant panda: Panpan!

Original top trend, shocking foreigners.

In an era of scarce information and single transmission methods, the derived merchandise became a global sensation.

Bing Dwen Dwen's grandfather.

Fuwa's father.

"Now let me introduce both teams' starting lineups."

"The Korean team's formation is 4-4-2!"

"Goalkeeper: Cho Hyun-woo."

"Defenders: Lee Yong, Jang Hyun-soo, Kim Young-gwon, Hong Chul."

"Midfielders: Hwang In-beom, Ju Se-jong, Ki Sung-yueng, Lee Jae-sung."

"Forwards: Kim Shin-wook, Son Heung-min."

ESPN live broadcast room.

【Ah shi ba! What the hell is this roster? Am I watching the Chinese Super League? K-League?】

【Let me popularize this for everyone: this lineup's strength is not great, but besides the goalkeeper and Kim Young-gwon, the rest are all dirty players! Sseumida!】

【Kim Young-gwon plays cleanly in the Chinese Super League, but in the national team, he's just as dirty.】

【Even Tang Sanzang standing opposite would get his relics knocked out!】

【Why doesn't the Korean team play overseas players?】

【Those overseas players who don't respect seniors, lack discipline, and don't know how to toast leaders—how could they earn starting spots?】

"Spain's formation is 4-5-1!"

"Goalkeeper: De Gea."

"Defenders: Alba, Piqué, Ramos, Carvajal."

"Midfielders: Li Kang, Busquets, Iniesta, Cazorla, David Silva."

"Forward: Diego Costa."

Live broadcast room.

【With this midfield setup, can the opponent even touch the ball?】

【Just being able to touch a person is enough.】

【Korea vs Spain, I've gone all-in on my dowry money, losing other—may the God of Wealth bless Li Mingdeng to score more than five goals.】

【Congratulations, you don't need to get married—if the coaching staff is sane, they'll definitely conserve energy after leading in the first group stage match, and will substitute after scoring two or three goals.】

Accompanied by the referee's whistle.

The match officially began.

Spain in possession.

Diego Costa kicked off, passing back to Piqué.

Piqué was a bit distracted, made a mistake in stopping the ball—fortunately, the Korean team didn't press immediately.

Boos erupted.

The scare made Minaño nervously cover his chest.

"The Barcelona center-back might get his ears pulled by Bosque again."

"Understandable."

"Piqué has started many companies now, often participates in poker tournaments, and even turned the Davis Cup into tennis's World Cup."

"Busquets is still steady!"

Busquets received a teammate's pass while in a side-body stance.

His brain raced: the Korean team's formation shifted to 3-5-1-1, widening coverage, the distance between midfield and defense is 8 meters, and the two forwards mainly target me and Piqué, so next

Everything is under my control.

Immediately after.

The Barcelona midfielder's right heel lightly flicked the ball.

Li Kang easily shook off the aggressive Huang Xican.

His smooth, flowing movements earned applause from the crowd.

Huang Xican barely stopped his momentum, turned around, and formed a double-team with Son Heung-min.

Busquets feinted a dunk!

He sent a lofted pass!

He precisely found Iniesta!

"Beautiful!"

"Masterful demeanor!"

"Huh? Huang Xican stepped on Busquets' instep!"

"The Brazilian referee didn't blow the whistle."

Huang Xican is a repeat offender.

In a match against the national team last year, after an opposing player fell to the ground, he actually kicked him hard with one foot.

After the match, he explained: 'I was kicking the ball, not the person.'

Wow.

This guy not only angered Chinese fans, but even Korean media found it shameful, fiercely condemning his immoral conduct.

Thus arose a funny meme: 'Can kicking someone be whitewashed? You're not even as good as Koreans.'

Busquets noticed the referee hadn't blown the whistle, quickly endured the pain, got up, and continued playing.

Iniesta dribbled past the midfield line.

A fried ball broke free from Ji Seong-yong.

The ball passed.

The person didn't.

Ji Seong-yong's outstretched arm 'coincidentally' struck Iniesta's neck.

The Barcelona legend collapsed in pain.

Beep!

The head referee stopped the match.

He didn't show a card, but instead issued a verbal warning to the Korean team.

"From the slow-motion replay."

"The Korean midfielder playing for Swansea in the Premier League made a martial arts move on Iniesta!"

"This foul is very concealed!"

"The 29-year-old Ji Seong-yong is too experienced."

"According to reports from Korean media, he's also been involved in a rape scandal."

"The VAR video referee didn't intervene!"

"Spanish players are surrounding the Brazilian referee, protesting wildly."

"In this World Cup, German head referee Felix Bridges, due to obvious 'bias' in his officiating in Group E matches, has been permanently banned from whistling!"

Live stream.

【Ji Seong-yong has already restrained himself today; if it were another time, Iniesta would have been stretchered off.】

【What? Ji Seong-yong was raped?】

【Ji Seong-yong raped someone.】

【His playing style in the Premier League is just dirty, a scissors-kick expert!】

【The Korean team is still quite experienced in fouls—first testing the limits at kickoff, then seizing the moment, making the game fragmented.】

【It seems Spain won't easily win this match.】

Sideline.

Mininyano furiously complained to the fourth official.

Other side.

Korean head coach Shin Taeryong, clapping loudly, enthusiastically cheered on his players.

Busquets and Iniesta got up again, unharmed.

Diego Costa pulled away the angry Ramos.

Then he opened his arms, calming his furious teammates, urging everyone not to keep arguing with the head referee.

Finally turning his head, smiling, he friendly patted Ji Seong-yong on the shoulder.

Korean players looked dazed.

"We still need to stay calm."

"If you can't bear small things, you'll ruin big plans; continuing to argue with the referee will likely get you carded."

"Nowadays, Diego Costa exudes a mature and steady temperament."

"Winning isn't everything in a match; on this grand stage of the World Cup, players fully display the charm of football."

The match continued.

Li Kang had just received Iniesta's pass.

Beep!

The whistle sounded again.

The camera panned.

Only Ji Seong-yong was seen lying on the grass, Diego Costa shrugging with a 'wronged' expression, looking innocent.

The Brazilian referee was stunned for a moment, but still didn't pull out a card.

ESPN live broadcast.

The commentator was dumbfounded.

Slow-motion replay: Before Diego Costa made his run, in the instant he bent over and stepped forward to accelerate, he "accidentally" hit Ji Chengyong's chin with his head.

【That was really harsh, but it definitely wasn't intentional!】

【Don't talk nonsense—clearly Ji Chengyong used his chin to bump Diego Costa's head, blocking his forward run.】

【Diego Costa is so honest, he's easily taken advantage of in matches.】

【Ji Chengyong's vitality is truly strong—he can still get up and keep playing!】

【Don't rush—Li Rong and those few guys on the bench are also super dirty players.】

Looking back at the 2018 World Cup South Korean team's match—stepping on feet, knee strikes, tripping, scissor kicks, exposed studs, elbow strikes, flying kicks, deliberate fouls—reality is often even more exaggerated.